Argo Gulskii (Арго Гулскии) (アルゴ・ガルスキー, Arugo Garusukī?) is a fictional character in the anime series Mobile Fighter G Gundam.
History[]
A space pirate of Neo Russian origin, Argo Gulskii and his crew conducted various thefts before being captured by the Neo Russian military. In one incident, Argo's ship was attempting to escape law enforcement officers when it accidentally crashed into a small space station manned by Andrew Graham and his wife Norma. As Graham's wife was about to be sucked into space, Argo entered in a space suit and attempted to save her, but was too late. Maddened by fury and grief, Andrew's mind instead remembered the event as Argo coldly throwing Norma into space and so dedicated his life to killing the space pirate, later becoming the Gundam Fighter for Neo Canada and preparing his Lumber Gundam to take his vengeance on Argo.
Due to Argo's large size and strength, special measures were taken to keep him under control. In order to keep Argo loyal, Neo Russia installed a small bomb on his chest and kept his crew captive in a secret location. Argo was told that if he used the GF13-013NR Bolt Gundam to win the 13th Gundam Fight he would win the freedom of himself and his crew. Argo agreed and was placed in a prison in Neo Russia's Earth-based territory. Neo Russian agents then used a strategy which had proven effective in past Gundam Fights; they spread rumors that their country's fighter could be found in the small village where the prison was located. Once Gundam Fighters arrived, they were detained and incarcerated for life and their Gundams raided for technology to increase Neo Russia's own chances of winning. During the 13th Gundam Fight, Domon Kasshu fell for these rumors and headed for the small village ahead of his partner Rain Mikamura. Quickly imprisoned, Domon caught the attention of Argo when he showed his fighting talents in a continuous number of escape attempts. Although impressed, Argo remained loyal to his crew and tricked Domon into believing he was planning a prison break so that the Neo Japanese fighter would reveal the location of his Gundam.
During Domon's return to Japan, Argo fell under the control of DG Cells from the Devil Gundam and fought the Neo-Japanese Gundam Fighter. He was later saved by the Shuffle Alliance, and received the crest of Black Joker. Noticeably, he was the only member of the new Shuffle Alliance not traumatized by the experience of being possessed by the DG Cells (at the very least, the only member who did not express said trauma, considering his unemotional nature).
He is often followed by his support crew consisting mainly of his tough and attractive warden Nastasha Zabigov, who keeps Argo (and her admiration for him, which later turns into love) under control, which led to her freeing him. Argo grows to respect her and possibly return her affections. As for Neo Russia, they were put under scrutiny when the truth about the devious tactics used during the Gundam Fight was revealed, which indicates that the Bolt Gundam and Argo are the only ones in Neo Russia's history to participate in the Gundam Fight fairly. During the preliminaries, he revealed his special technique, Gaia Crusher, a technique he developed while training in the Guyana Highlands, but only used it now against his rival, Andrew Graham of Neo Canada.
The match ended, however, when Neo Sweden's Allenby Beardsley, under the control of her Berserker System, attacked Argo and Andrew in a frenzy. Andrew sacrificed himself to protect Argo, finally fighting through his grief and blind anger over Norma's death to remember the truth, and was forced to return to Neo Canada for medical treatment, finally burying his grudge against Argo.
When the Devil Gundam resurfaced during the Battle Royale on Lantau Island, Argo and Sai Saici arrived to aid Domon against the DG Cell infected Michelo Chariot, Neo Italy's Gundam Fighter, and his Neros Gundam when it evolved into the Gundam Heaven's Sword, one of the Devil Gundam's Four Heavenly Kings. After providing Domon a means to proceed towards Master Asia and the Devil Gundam, Argo and Sai Saici used their Hyper Modes to destroy the Gundam Heaven's Sword and slay Michelo, but were severely injured in the process. They recovered in time to support Domon in his final battle with Master Asia, resulting in the destruction of Master Gundam, and Domon having a final private moment with Master Asia, reciting the litany of the School of the Undefeated of the East one last time before Master Asia succumbed to his wounds and terminal illness and passed away in Domon's arms, much to Domon's grief and heartbreak.
After burying Master Asia and the Master Gundam, Domon, Argo, and the other Shuffle Alliance members then discover that Major Ulube has recovered the Devil Gundam and used Rain as its new Core Life Unit to resurrect it and take over the Neo Japan space colony, turning it into the Colony Devil Gundam, and declared war on the rest of the United Colony Federation. As the other nations rally to defend Earth and fight the Devil Gundam, while Domon heads into space with his God Gundam and Fuunsaiki, Master Asia's trusted steed that he left to Domon, Argo is returned his own ship, the Gorby II, by Nastasha, along with deactivating his handcuffs and chest bomb, and the rest of the Shuffle Alliance head into space to aid Domon.
Once they enter the Colony Devil Gundam, they are soon confronted by Ulube in the Grand Master Gundam, having fully infected himself with DG Cells to serve as the Devil Gundam's liaison. Although he overpowers each of them separately, Ulube is no match for Domon, Argo, and the others when they combine their power to attack him together in a joint attack, temporarily destroying the Grand Master Gundam, and allowing Domon to find Rain, even as Ulube, in his final moments, gloats that it is futile as the Devil Gundam will still destroy all of them before his own body disintegrates. Argo soon faces the Grand Master Gundam again with Chibodee, George, and Sai Saici as the Devil Gundam resurrects it, but Domon soon finds Rain, and encouraged by Argo, the other Shuffle Alliance members, and Allenby, Domon professes his love to Rain, allowing her to break free of the Devil Gundam and reunite with him, before the two of them see to the Devil Gundam's destruction once and for all. Argo escapes with Chibodee, George, and Sai Saici, but they assume Domon and Rain didn't make it, before the two of them emerge unharmed aboard Fuunsaiki, victorious.
With the Devil Gundam finally destroyed for good, Argo returns to Earth aboard his Bolt Gundam, joined by Nastasha, with the Gorby II flying alongside, along with all his friends and allies, to prepare for the 14th Gundam Fight in four years.